Chapter 3
Plenty of soldiers and their families passing by shot us curious looks.
Dad strode over with Nina.
His face was dark as he barked at me.
"Don't you be childish! Is your head so messed up you still can't wipe your own mouth?"
Mark frowned, clearly sticking up for me.
"She's just a kid, after all. Captain Foster, isn't that a bit harsh?" he said.
Mom pulled me into her arms.
She shot Mark an apologetic glance.
"Leonard, thanks for what you've done. Please don't bother yourself with this," she said.
But James wasn't about to let it go.
He cut Mark off, his tone thick with sarcasm.
"So Lieutenant Linley, turns out you know some top-notch doctor, huh? Funny how you never brought him up when I was scrambling to find someone for Annie before."
"So what, you only introduce him to Claire? Is she the only one who gets the hookup?"
People started whispering, exchanging curious glances.
"I heard Leonard and Claire were even engaged as kids."
"After all these years, they're still so close?"
"Captain Foster's never been this cold before."
"Hey, you can't just say it's all Claire's fault. Isn't Captain Foster always seen together with his old friend from back home?"
Mom always kept her reputation clean and never cared about gossip.
But Mark was still single, and she didn't want to ruin his reputation.
She quickly masked the disgust in her eyes.
She walked up to Dad and quietly tugged at his military uniform sleeve.
"That's nothing big, let's talk inside."
For once, she didn't argue with Dad.
Dad glanced down at her hand.
The anger in his eyes seemed to ease up.
Nina followed Dad back and spoke up in a gentle voice.
"James, don't take it out on Claire. Honestly, Claire and I barely know each other."
"I introduced my mentor to help Annie with her treatment, so of course she'd be concerned."
"Besides, Lieutenant Linley and Claire are practically best friends."
The crowd started gossiping even louder.
Mark's face flushed with anger.
"Nina, stop trying to stir up drama and drive a wedge between us!"
"When it comes to treating patients, it's all about skill, and that mentor you brought in just doesn't cut it!"
The anger that had just faded from Dad's eyes came surging back all at once.
Dad's voice, usually calm, suddenly got louder.
"Is Nina wrong? Why are you so upset, Lieutenant Linley?"
"Her mentor, who's supposed to be the best brain specialist, isn't good enough."
"Of course, Claire only trusts the doctor you brought in, huh?"
Before he could finish, Mom released my hand and slapped him hard across the face.
Mom suddenly let go of me and gave him a fierce slap right across the face.
With everyone in the Compound watching, Mom's eyes were bloodshot with rage.
Dad's eyes were red with anger too.
The side of his face was already swelling up from the slap.
After a long moment, he finally gave Mom a mocking glare.
"Look at you, every time someone hits a nerve, you act like a cat whose tail's been stepped on," Dad sneered.
He left the words cold and fierce, not even glancing at Mom again.
And then he looked down, his voice gentler as he spoke to Nina.
"It's cold out here. Nina, let's head inside."
But I saw his hand hanging at his side, trembling ever so slightly.
As Nina followed him inside, she caught sight of his trembling hand.
Then, she balled her own hand into a fist, clearly furious.
She turned back and threw Mom and me a fierce glare.
Everyone scattered, and even Mark got pulled away by his mom.
Mom and I were the only ones left in the yard, watching James and Nina disappear inside.
This time, Mom wasn't going to storm off and take me away in a fit of anger.
But right now, as she stared at the backs of the two people who had humiliated her, Mom felt that ache in her chest—she just couldn't pretend nothing had happened.
For a moment, she stood frozen, unable to act like everything was fine and just walk inside with me.
A cold wind swept through the Military Compound.
She pressed her lips together, silently took off her scarf, and wrapped it tightly around my neck.
Then her eyes, still red, met Joseph's as he walked in from outside the Compound.
Joseph glanced at Dad and Nina as they went inside, then walked over and asked Mom in a serious tone.
"Don't want to go in?"
Mom squeezed my hand, her grip tightening silently.
Besides me, Joseph was the only family she had left in this world.
Mom looked up at him, her expression conflicted, searching his face.
After a long pause, she finally spoke, her voice soft and hesitant.
"Can I take Annie to the Peyton Estate for just one night?"