Perfect School

Jonah:

I looked between the three of them. This was what I wanted to know, but under the circumstances, I thought it would be better for them to have this conversation in private. “I think I’ll take this outside, so you three can talk,” I said. I would have plenty of time to get the information later. As I left, I brushed Kira’s shoulder lightly with my hand.

Kira:

I glanced at Jonah after he brushed my shoulder, keeping my eyes on him until he was out of the room. Returning my attention to my parents I looked from one to the other. "Assassins. I knew that already."

Michael smiled faintly. "Your Mother is from a line of arms manufactures and assassins, and I was trained in a facility. I can tell you my side of the story, my wife can tell hers." And so he did. He spoke to me about the training he received, the graduation competition, the masks, highlights of some of his kills along the years, up until he met Krissy. "Depending upon who you asked, I was the best assassin in the world. But I never considered myself the best. I failed in one major hit I was given. I was to kill Krissy, your uncle, your late aunt and a few others." His focus turned on Krissy then. "She changed me. Brought into a world that wasn't contract after contract. And over time I became who I am today. We left the game after we thought we'd lost you. But had been talking about it for a bit before that. I've never once regretted my choices."

Krissy:

I smiled when he turned to me and my eyes sparkled as I looked back at him. When he spoke of losing Kira, I looked down to the table again. I had told her about my life before, but it had been while she was drugged up and sick. She had fallen asleep for most of it as well.

I started to tell her about how I had grown up, starting with my own parents who had died young, and how Kyle had raised me and Lexi. I didn’t focused on my actual career but rather the people who made me who I am. I went into more detail about how Michael and I had met and become close, but I didn’t talk about how she came to be.

Kira:

I listened to both their tales, folding my arms on the table as I did so. My attention never wavered from either of them as they told me who they had once been. "Then..." I chewed on the inside of my cheek. I'd not spoken a word since my earlier admittance and now I was struggling to process everything they'd told me. "Then what are you now and how do I fit into it?" My gaze dropped to the table.

Krissy:

My heart hurt. I wanted to run around the table and hug her, but I knew she wouldn’t like that. “We don’t know yet, exactly. But there is more than enough room for you in our lives. We want you here. We want to make up for lost time. If you’ll let us, we won’t ever stop trying to make up for the years we lost with you.” As this point I was trying my best not to tear up.

I stared down at the table. "I am not something worth all that effort. I was trained much like Michael was but I didn't have others. It was....lonely." My fingers curled into fists. "I am not and might never be good at..." I gestured between myself and them. "...family. Or feelings. I can act like however you wish for me to be if that makes it easier..."

Krissy:

“No!” I said before I composed myself. “No, we don’t want you to be anything other than you are. We want to know you, not some imagined version of you,’ I insisted. “We’ve known people of all sorts and we’ve considered them all family. You are our own daughter, nothing is going to deter us from being with you as long as that’s what you want.” I was ready to crawl over the table and put my arms around her. I stayed where I was however, next to Michael.

My gaze snapped up after Krissy cried out. I hadn't expected such a reaction from her. It would have been easier on both ends if I'd put on an act. But I couldn't now. I still didn't think they'd be very pleased with the real me. "Alright." I finished softly. "Then...do you have any questions for me?"

Krissy:

Do you hate me? I thought. It was irrational to think, she wouldn’t be here if she did, but still. How could she not after all the things she heard me say. “Well… What would you like to do while you’re here?” I asked. There would have been more to do if she had come during summer, but I’d rather have her here now then wait another few months.

"I would rather not impede your normal life. If you already had plans that's fine. I'd like to see the country. I've only been here once before. Kyra tried to get me to stop by under the guise of something else. I left as soon as I realized what was going on." I looked away for a moment and gestured between the three of us, "We weren't on any speaking terms then."

Rubbing my hands together I looked up at them. "Jonah and I are used to training at night and I wake up early to do personal training. Is there a route I could run? And may we use your gym? We can get by without of course..." My lips quirked into a faint smile as I admitted the first real think I enjoyed, "If it was summer I would see if we had some kind of place where we could swim. I like feeling like I'm floating."

Krissy:

I smiled. “Of course you can use the gym.” I said, eager to do anything to make her happy. “And we could go to the ocean side if you wish though it is quite cold, even during the summer months. But… There are a few hot springs we could visit.” After I said it I thought it might have made a nice surprise to take her there, but it was already out.

"You know the country better than we do. Anything you find interesting I'm sure we'd enjoy seeing." It was true. Jonah was someone who liked information. Sight seeing, museums, hiking. I just wanted to feel active and get to know them. Sitting about and doing nothing was not appealing to me.

Krissy:

When we were finished with lunch Michael went to take care of the animals and Kira went outside to get her friend.  I cleaned up from lunch thinking about the options to keep them entertained.  It was much different than having Kyle and the twins visit.  

Jonah:

The three dogs were sitting in a half circle around me while I ate my sandwich.  I pulled a piece of meat form it and split it into three to give one piece to each.  Even Angel came to me for the treat.  I liked dogs, I decided.  I would have them in the future.

It wasn't hard to find Jonah out on the porch. I went and sat down beside him, gazing at the trio of dogs while drawing the knee closest to him up to my chest. Wrapping my arms around it I finally glanced at him, "My parents were assassins. Good ones."

Jonah:

Now that I was finished with my food I was rubbing down the dogs. Cerberus had his big head in my lap as I pet him. I looked up when Kira came out. “Well, you knew that,” I answered. I focused on her. If I asked questions about her parents she would assume I wanted to know more about them, it was better to let her talk on her own, even if she would be more selective.

I made a noncommittal sound in my threat before continuing. "Michael said some would say he was the best assassin of his generation. And Krissy was the one who brought him out of his path."

I grew quiet for a moment before looking at him. "We can use their gym to workout if we want. And I told them a few things we could do while visiting. But if you have any ideas I can relay them."

Jonah:

I’d like to explore some, maybe hike. But, I can do that on my own if you would like to spend some time with your family.” It was somewhat of a test disguised as a casual conversation. Truth be told I wanted her to pick me. I wanted some time alone with her.

I shrugged. "We have a week. I'm sure time could be worked in for anything anyone wants." Turning to look towards the door for a moment then to the barn I looked at Jonah. "Krissy...I think she might not hate me at all..."

Jonah:

“She certainly doesn’t look at you like she hates you. I’d say it’s pretty clear that they both want you here,” I said. Krissy was nervous, it was likely the cause of all the awkwardness between them. I tried to imagine the woman as an assassin. She seemed too soft to be one. With Michael, however, it didn’t surprise me that he was one of the best. He had an air about him that made me believe he still had much of his former skills.

"There is a big difference in wanting me here to make up for saying she never wanted me to exist and is trying to save face. And wanting me here because she actually wants me." I closed my eyes. "She was an assassin, acting is a part of the game as you know Jonah."

Jonah:

Kira was good at reading people, that she couldn’t easily read her own mother meant her own feelings were clouding her perception. “Kira, she’s an open book. I doubt she could hid her feelings if she tried,” I said. Even if she tried she wouldn’t be able to hide it from me. Again, Michael was different. He had the same sort of shield that Kira had before I had deciphered her.

I gave him a brief frown then shrugged. "Perhaps so..." With him saying that I couldn't help but notice in my memories all the signs I'd normally have seen. That I was so conflicted and bothered by all of this had me worried. I wasn't sure what to make of it. "I'm going to change into work out clothes. You are welcome to join me if you want."

Jonah:

“I will,” I said simply. I gently redirected the dog’s head from my lap and grabbed my plate from the spot beside me. When we went into the house, the kitchen and living room were empty. I washed my plate in the sink then went to my room to change.

Krissy:

I sat on the bed in our room staring down at a dish towel. I left the kitchen when Kira said that I might be acting because I was an assassin. She had thought I hated her. She thought I was just trying to make up for the words that I said. I had no idea how to make things right by her. I had screwed up royally before I ever came face to face with the girl, and I would forever be paying for the words I said out of shock.

Michael:

With hands in my pockets after I'd finished taking care of the animals I went back to the house. Pausing on the steps I looked down at the trio of dogs as they gazed up at me. "Did Krissy not feed you yet? Unlike her...having Kira here must be getting to her more than I thought." I brought the trio into the kitchen and prepared their meals. Leaving three happy dogs behind I went in search of my wife.

"Hey, you alright?" I asked after shutting the bedroom door behind me.

Kira:

I changed into shorts, a sports bra, and a tanktop from the clothes I'd brought. Leaving my boots and socks behind I went down into the basement and started stretching on the mats without waiting for Jonah.

Krissy:

“She thought I hated her,” I said in answer. I pressed my face into the cool damp towel and breathed inn deeply. “I don’t know how to make up for what I’ve done. I don’t know how to make her see that wasn’t how I truly feel.”