[BNRT]

[assured_of_this]

What there is to be done about Sean Cassidy and his apparent loathing for their situation, Nate doesn't know. In all likelihood, there's nothing at all any of them can do, if he's so thoroughly emphatic in his beliefs that he'd punch Brad (More than once) even after talking to his daughter about their impending nuptials and what it all means.

Comments

[nothingtomiss]

"Like we stand a chance of doing anything behind their backs," says Brad, leaning back in his chair, food, for the moment, untouched. He does lift his drink though, and take a long swallow. He shoots a look at Terry over his glass and grins; it's the first time all week that he's actually felt relaxed.

"I've been on fucking recon missions where I could get away with more."

[nothingtomiss]

The bruises on Brad's jaw and belly are fading ugly purple and yellow, but even he can see that anger isn't the best policy here. He spent a lot of his career swallowing down anger caused by poor decisions. He can do it here; especially for Terry, he can find a way.

"I don't know what else we can do, Nate," he says, quietly. "We don't rub it in anybody's faces, everybody's loved, everybody's where there meant to be. We could print a fucking newsletter."

He sighs.

"I don't care if he hates me," he says. "He can hate me all he likes. It's Terry I'm worried about."

[number_unlucky]

"True," I said, "and Terry, you're definitely the person most affected. But also, what happens to one or a couple of us puts a strain on everybody, and that could lead to problems as well. It's all a system."

I had evidenced that pretty clearly not all that long ago, and I still felt guilty about it. It probably showed on my face.

"United front, though, at least for a start."

[faithanbegorrah]

"It'll be fine," Terry says, and looking over at Brad, she adds mostly for his benefit, "and I'll be fine." So long as she's lucky enough to be surrounded by the three of them, is what she doesn't say, and she's grateful for it.