Chapter 136: The Loss Of Innocence, Part 2, Fall Out

MICHAEL

"How is she?"

James props himself, both hands knuckled on the kitchen table, head bowed. "The same. Not good. I'd say she's gotten past denial, but I almost wish she'd cry... Get it out of her system. Instead, she behaves as though she's in shock."

He's mourning the loss of a daughter...

She's panicking over gaining a father...

Both bereft...

...

What a fucking mess.

"Shock is probably the right word..." I say. "... Discovering she has a psychopath for a parent. It's going to take time and support to get her past it."

He rubs the bridge of his nose, eyes squeezing closed for a moment. "I think," he says, "part of the problem is that not knowing much about him, she's cooked up some idealised vision of Conners in her imagination..."

"The perfect father who never was?"

"As it turns out, yes." He rubs at the back of his head. "How the hell do we deal with this?"