Chapter 23 — Like Father, Like Daughter

"I don't have a father. I had a series of individuals who called themselves my father. It took me a long time to understand that none of them filled the role of 'parent'. One tried his best, but what man could understand, nurture and guide a girl like me, when I didn't understand me? A girl born in a land no one could locate, raised in a country no one could agree upon, brought to a city where no one spoke her language, with crimes under her belt no one could prove and weapons no one could find, sent to live in a home for children no one could want.

It's a wonder I didn't just go mad."

~Cinza, the Rallsburg Diaries

"What's going on in here?"

"Dad—"

"Who is that?"

"She's my friend."

"...What's your name?"

"Jenny, sir."

"Jenny, I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you're going to have to go home now."

"But, Dad!"

"I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean anything bad."

"Dad, it's the middle of the night! Can't she just stay the night?"

"It's okay, I can go home. I live pretty close."

"Dad, pleeeeeeas—"

"Natalie!"

Natalie ran at her father, throwing her arms around his legs. "Come on, Daaaaaaaaad!"

His stern expression didn't waver for a second. "Jenny, I'll walk you home. Get your things and I'll be back in just a couple minutes, all right?"

"Yes, Mr. Hendricks."

He left Natalie's bedroom with the door wide open, but Natalie didn't care. She was already fuming, and she wanted him to hear. "It's so not fair. It's just a sleepover. He's being a jerk."

Jenny shrugged, picking up her sleeping bag. "I told you we shoulda asked first."

"But we were gonna have so much fun. What if…" Natalie glanced at the open door. "What if you sneak back in? I can prop open the office window and you can come in after Dad locks up. He doesn't know I found the spare key. We could have a sleepover in there."

"I dunno…" Jenny looked uncertain. She stopped trying to get the band around her sleeping bag, sitting back against the bed. "I think I should just go home."

"But…"

"I didn't ask my parents either," she confessed.

Natalie didn't have anything to say to that. If neither of them asked their parents, they were probably both in big trouble. Jenny was going to get yelled at by her dad as soon as she got home. At least we'll get yelled at together…

She clapped her hands together. "I know. I'll ask for permission as a birthday present."

"Really?" said Jenny, surprised. "When's your birthday?"

"Next week. July fourteenth." Natalie grinned. "I'm gonna be eleven!"

"Really?" Jenny smiled. "That's so cool! That's my birthday too!"

"Birthday buddies!" Natalie cried, hugging Jenny. "But aren't you turning twelve?"

"Yeah, but so what? Close enough!"

"So we're totally having a sleepover on our birthday," said Natalie firmly.

"And we're totally having it here," agreed Jenny. "Your house is so cool."

"Our place back in Chicago was cooler," said Natalie. "It had better A/C so it wasn't so hot. And I had way more books there."

"Where's Chicago?"

"I dunno. It was a big city. I don't remember it really well. It's far away though."

Jenny shrugged. "The only city I know is Olympia. I hate going there. We only go there if we have to go to the dentist."

"Eww."

A soft knock on the door. Natalie could just barely see her dad around the corner. "Jenny, it's time to go home now."

"Okay, Mr. Hendricks."

Natalie gave her another hug, and Jenny returned it. "See you tomorrow."

It only took about fifteen minutes for her dad to walk Jenny home and return. Most people in Rallsburg lived pretty close to each other, except for the farmers and a couple other people, like the Price family or mean old Robert Harrison. Not that Natalie knew many of them. She'd lived in Rallsburg for a whole three years, and she'd only really met two other people.

Mrs. Nichols was her teacher during the fall months when the university was in session. Natalie didn't like her much. She was super strict and bossy, and she had that weird old person smell. Her dad's assistant Neffie Bowman was much better, but Natalie never got to talk to her much.

She seemed really cool, but Natalie only saw her when she came in to talk to her dad about business. The first time, she'd introduced herself and given Natalie a little toy, but every time after that it was just a quick wave and a smile. Natalie didn't know why, but Neffie hadn't ever really spoken to her since then.

So when Natalie found out, after three years living in Rallsburg, that there was actually another kid around her own age? She was ecstatic.

"Dad, she's my friend!" she cried, as her dad took off his jacket and set it in the closet.

"How did you meet her?" he asked quietly.

Natalie hesitated. She expected him to be angry, not quiet. Quiet was way scarier. Then she remembered: she wasn't supposed to be in that part of town. Still, Natalie couldn't lie. Not to her dad. So she didn't answer.

"...I thought so," he said. He knelt down in front of her at eye level. "Natalie, I told you. It's not safe to go out there alone. You could get hurt — or worse, and I might not be around to protect you."

"It's okay, Dad. Jenny knows the town really well, and she knows the doctor and the sheriff and everyone. They can help if I got hurt or whatever."

"We don't know that they're good people."

Natalie hesitated. She didn't really follow his words. "What do you mean?"

He sighed. "Natalie, don't go out there alone again."

"But—"

"I said no, Natalie."

Natalie sat down on her bed, pouting. "Why?"

He shook his head. "Because you're the most precious thing in the world, turtle, and I'm your father." He got up. "I'm going to make some macaroni for dinner. Are you hungry?"

She was, but she still felt angry. "No."

"Okay." He paused before leaving the room, and glanced back over his shoulder. Natalie looked away, not wanting to meet his eyes. For the moment, she hated him. "Natalie?"

"What?" she said sullenly.

"I love you."

"Love you too." Natalie grabbed up a book from the shelf by her bed and clicked on the light. A little while later, she heard her dad walk away.